Nneka Ogwumike, who also went to Stanford, was taken No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2012 and quickly made the pick pay off by winning the Rookie of the Year award.

The Sun and the Sparks play only twice in the regular season, which opens May 16. "That's the benefit of playing in the East," Chiney Ogwumike said. "It's a great break. It keeps peace in the household."

She is Stanford's 11th WNBA first-round pick and the sixth in the past seven years. Moments after she was selected, she worked the room like a politician, waving at the Sun's followers and, in an interview with ESPN, calling them "arguably the best fans in the country."

The draft took place at Ogwumike's new home court, Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The event had a surprising start when the Sun traded former UConn center and 2012 MVP Tina Charles and a 2015 third-round pick to the New York Liberty for center Kelsey Bone, the No. 4 pick in the first round and next year's first-round pick.

With that fourth pick, the Sun took Maryland forward Alyssa Thomas, joining the revamped front court for a team that finished 10-24 last season. Later in the first round, Connecticut selected Duke guard Chelsea Gray, who will miss this season with a knee injury. In the third round, the Sun chose center DeNesha Stallworth, a Pinole Valley High alum who played at Cal before transferring to Kentucky.

Baylor guard Odyssey Sims went to Tulsa at No. 2. San Antonio took Notre Dame guard Kayla McBride, and Indiana took Florida State forward Natasha Howard. The next two picks belonged to UConn's two-time national champions, center Stefanie Dolson going to Washington and guard Bria Hartley to Seattle, which traded her to Washington.